Thursday, July 14, 2011

Remembering Del Reeves

I didn't want this day to pass without taking a moment to remember former Opry member Del Reeves, who was born Franklin Delano Reeves on July 14, 1933, in Sparta, North Carolina.

Del was the youngest of 11 children and at the age of 12, he was singing on local radio. He attended Appalachian State College in Boone, North Carolina and then served in the air force. While he was in California and serving our country, he made his first recordings for Capital Records. He also did some TV work. Del was married to Ellen Schiell, and they co-wrote "Sing a Little Song of Heartache", which in 1962 was recorded by Rose Maddox and went to #3 on the charts.

Del's own recording career really got into full swing in 1961, as he recorded for Decca Records and with the support of Hank Cochran, moved to Nashville in 1962. He bounced around between a couple of record labels until he signed with United Artists Records in 1965, and then the hits started coming including "The Girl on the Billboard", which was #1 in 1965, "Belles of Southern Bell" a #4 record the same year, and "Looking at the World Through a Windshield", which went to #5 in 1968.

In addition to recording, he appeared in several movies, including "Sam Whiskey" in 1969, and he had his own syndicated television show, "Del Reeves Country Carnival", which was aired from 1970-1973. He stayed with United Artists Records until 1978, and then bounced around between several labels.

Del and his wife made news in 1989, when they agreed to promote Billy Ray Cyrus. After Billy Ray's career hit, "Achy Breaky Heart", Del and his wife sued Billy Ray, looking for a return on their investment. Billy Ray settled out of court.

Del Reeves joined the Opry on October 15, 1966 and for many years was one of the Opry's greatest entertainers. Not only was he a great singer, but he did great humorous impressions of various country music entertainers including Roy Acuff, Jimmy Dickens and Johnny Cash. He also did Jimmy Stewart and Walter Brennen.

Del told the story about how he came to the Opry and the night he was introduced as a Opry member:

"At that time if you wanted to be on the Opry you had to do twenty-six Saturday nights per year. When 'Girl on the Billboard' made number one, and 'Belles of Southern Bell' made number one, they asked me to join the Opry. And my manager, Hubert Long, rest his soul, says, 'It's an impossibility. You can't join the Opry now.' That almost broke my heart. I told Hubert: 'But I worked all my life from a little boy in Sparta, North Carolina, to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry! And you tell 'em I can't join!' He said, 'Don't worry, they're gonna call you back.'"

"And in 1967 I finally joined the Opry, during DJ convention week. Porter Wagoner introduced me. And my mother and daddy, who at that time were seventy-eight and eighty-one, were in the audience to see one of their seven sons-there were four girls too-make the Opry. I don't even think I got out 'Doodle-do-do-do-do', which has been a trademark with me, before I started cryin'. Porter came up and put his arms around me. And when he done that I laid my head on his shoulder, and the band kept playin', an' Porter started gettin' tears in his eyes, an' it was just one big cryin' mess. I think I finally did begin to compose myself. An' then Porter, being the showman he is, said, 'Ladies an' gentlemen, his mother and father is in the audience.' An' they stood up, an' when they did I just fell apart. I mean, there ain't no way I'm gonna be able to sing. An' Porter's got tears runnin' down his face, an' I'm cryin'-literally boo-booin'. So Porter just stood there with his arms around me. An' I'm tryin' to think 'Where am I at in the song?' I finally went to the last verse an' got through the last verse an' the chorus. An' that was it. The whole place stood up at the old Ryman."

What a great story, although he did get the year wrong.

Sad to say, but like several country music singers of his era, Del developed lung problems, in his case, emphysema, and passed away on January 1, 2007. His last Opry appearance was in August of 2002. At the time, Del had felt disrespected by Opry management, specifically Pete Fisher, as his Opry appearances had been cut back and he told the story of being critized by Pete Fisher for going over his allowed minutes when performing. After that, Del rarely appeared on the Opry.

Now in memory of Del Reeves, here is the running order of the Opry, from Saturday night October 15, 1966, the night that Del Reeves became an Opry member:

9:30 KELLOGGSBOBBY LORD-CASH ON THE BARRELHEADWILLIS BROTHERS-DIAMONDS ON YOUR HANDSRAY PILLOW-VOLKSWAGENDOTTIE WEST-HERE COMES MY BABYBOBBY LORD-LOSERS LIKE MEDEL WOOD-CAJUN STRIPPERCOUSIN JODY-ON TOP OF OLD SMOKEYBOBBY LORD-THAT'S ALL RIGHT

When ET got emphysema, he saw Jack Greene with a cigarette and supposedly said something like, you look so beautiful with that, I could kill you.

Snow writes that in 1978, his doctor told him to quit smoking or he would be in serious trouble, and he did it. But he also writes about how he often had bronchial problems, and he had them in his later years. Apropos of that, I remember reading that Frank Sinatra wouldn't smoke or drink for a week before recording because he knew it would hurt his voice.

I remember reading that in Hank's book. You have to believe that some of his later throat issues can be traced back to smoking. And, how many album covers can you remember seeing where the artist had a cigarette in their hand? There is even a picture of Hank in an older Opry History Picture Book with one.

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About Me

I am a nationally recognized independent historian of the Grand Ole Opry. In addition to being the publisher and writer of Fayfare's Opry Blog, I have also researched Opry information for numerous authors and interested Opry fans. A resident of Canton, Ohio, I have attended hundreds of Grand Ole Opry shows since my first visit to Nashville in 1973. I can be contacted via email at bfay54@gmail.com